A practical guide to printing paper weight, coated and uncoated stocks, recycled paper and choosing the right material for a print project.
What’s the intended use?
When choosing printing paper, start by thinking about the purpose of the printed piece. A business card, annual report, brochure and internal document all have different requirements. Some need to be more sturdy or resilient (a business card, for example), which means a heavier stock weight makes the most sense as it won’t get bent or ripped easily.
Printing paper weight explained
Paper weight is generally measured in GSM. GSM means grams per square metre. It is a measure of paper weight, but not exactly the same thing as thickness. Common business-print ranges run from lightweight text stocks through to heavier cover stocks.
Depending on what kind of stock it is, sometimes heavier GSM can feel lighter than a lower weight GSM in a different stock. Adding laminates and other coatings further thickens your printed piece and can be a good way to add resilience.
Surface texture
Coated paper has a smoother surface and is often useful for photography and strong colour reproduction. Uncoated paper has a more tactile feel and is often comfortable for text-heavy documents. At Ethical Print Co., we primarily print on sustainable, recycled stocks such as EcoStar. EcoStar comes in Silk – which is slightly more glossy, and good for report covers and brochures – and uncoated, which has a more recycled feel to it. Read more about these stocks here.
What does post-consumer waste mean?
Post-consumer recycled content means the paper has been made from materials that have already been used by consumers, collected for recycling and processed into new paper. This is different from pre-consumer waste, which comes from manufacturing offcuts or waste that never reached the end user. Using post-consumer recycled fibre helps keep existing materials in circulation and reduces the need for new virgin fibre (paper made directly from freshly cut trees). Read more on the EPA website.
Why recycled paper is a good choice
Recycled papers now come in sophisticated weights, textures and finishes. FSC certification can also help buyers understand whether a particular stock is FSC 100%, FSC Mix or FSC Recycled. Read more about FSC certification. It doesn’t cost more than regular stocks, so there’s really no reason NOT to choose it. The only time we opt out of using recycled paper is when we laminate something – as the laminate technology isn’t yet advanced enough to reliably stick to any paper other than a standard low-cost artboard (what it was intended for).
So which printing paper is best?
The best paper is the one that supports the design, production method, budget and intended lifespan of the finished piece. With our parent company being a design agency, we understand how to consider all options. We’re always happy to recommend paper in that wider context rather than simply offering a list of stock names.
The best print decisions are rarely about choosing one material, process or technology in isolation. They come from considering the purpose of the piece, the audience, the quantity, the design and the production method together. That is where a knowledgeable printer can add value — helping a business produce something that looks good, works properly and avoids unnecessary production.
Printing a program, guide or manual? Our recycled booklet printing uses 100% post-consumer EcoStar paper in silk or uncoated.
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